Pleasure-railway.



No. 643,996. Patented Feb. 20, I900.

J. ANDERSON.

PLEASURE RAILWAY.

(Application filed June 5, 1899.) I (No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheat I.

WITNESSES INVENTOH wmxe m TOHN E )6.

' No. 643,996. Patented Feb. 20, I900.

' J. ANDERSON.

PLEASURE RAILWAY.

(Application filed June 5, 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

W/ TNE SSE 8 A OHNEYJT n4: Nonms PETERS co PHoTo-umu, WASHINGTON. 04 c,

No. 643,996. Patented Feb. 20, I900. J. ANDERSON.

vPLEASURE RAILWAY.

(App1ication filed June 5, 1899.)

(No Model.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3,

WITNESSES kawaem iimwmyazrcns coy, PHQTO-LVTHO WASHINGTON. n c.

4 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN ANDERSON, OF STLLOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO SAMUEL BARNES, OF SAME PLACE.

PLEASU RE-RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 643,996, dated February 20, 1900.

Application filed June 5, 1899- Serial No. 719,461. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pleasure-Railways; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, suchas will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in pleasure-railways; and it consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my complete invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the same, taken on the line a: a; of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end view of my complete invention. Fig. 4 is a horizontal longitudinal section of one end of the cylinder, showing more clearly the arrangement of the track and partition and the car located therein. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of a modification of my invention, and Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse section taken on the line 1 y of Fig. 5.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple and practical cylindrical conveyingrailway, more especially adapted for pleasure purposes, whereby an optical illusion is obtained by the person or persons so conveyed, it being observed from the detail description of the construction of the railway hereinafter to' follow that the car or cars contained within the cylinder or rotating body apparentlytravel at a high rate of speed, owing to the rapidly-moving scenery or other scenic effects painted or otherwise formed or arranged upon the moving partition, the car or cars practically assuming the same position within the cylinder while the latter is being revolved, the wheels of the trucks, however,

turning in the usual manner, giving a further impression to persons upon the car that they are traveling with considerable speed.

A further and very important feature of my invention is the safety with which the railway can be operated, as it is evident that it is impossible for a collision or other accident to happen while the railway is in operation.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents a cylindrical body which is constructed of suitable material and design, and arranged along the outer periphery and encircling the same are a series of grooved bands or rings 2, the grooves of which are adapted to receive rollers 3, journaled in pedestals't, mounted upon and secured to the ground or other bed, said pedestals being arranged on either side of the cylinder, the rollers thereof forming bearings, upon which the said cylinder bears and is supported at a suitable distance above the ground. The boxes which form the upper ends of the pedestals 4 are provided with springs 5,which cause the rollers 3 to be yielding to a certain extent, whereby the latter will always be in contact with the grooved rings 2, carried by the cylinder 1, notwithstanding the irregularities of the said cylinder in con structing the same.

Secured to the outer periphery of the cylinder 1 and secured at suitable intervals along the length of the same are toothed rings or bands 6, which mesh with gear-wheels 7 fixed upon the longitudinal shaft 8, mounted upon bearings 9, the latter of which are centrally l0-' cated and arranged between the pedestals 4, a belt-pulley 10 being secured to one end of said shaft, over which a belt may be passed from any suitable engine or motor for rotating the cylinder 1.

Centrally located within the cylinder 1 and secured thereto by the partition-wall hereinafter to be described is a smaller cylinder 11, which runs the full length of the cylinder 1 and is open at both ends, and passing entirely through said cylinder 11 and projectinga suitable distance beyond the ends of the same is a bridge 12, the lower portion of which is provided with rollers 13, which rest upon and are in contact with the inner periphery of the said cylinder, the opposite ends of said bridge being secured to the ground or other support by braces 14, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, stairway 15 or its equivalent being located at the ends of said bridge, whereby persons may walk over the bridge 12 and view any advertising matter or other scenic efiects that may be painted or otherwise formed upon the inner periphery of the cylinder 12, it being observed that the said cylinder also revolves with the large cylinder 1 during the operation of the railway. A further object of the bridge is to hold the cylindrical bodyl in its proper operative position upon the rollers 3 when the same is revolved orin operation, whereby a rigid and practical construction is obtained.

Secured within the body or cylinder 1 and to the inner periphery of the same are rails 16, which when arranged in a parallel manner form a spiral track throughout the entire length of the cylindrical body 1, and located between each track and extending from the inner periphery of the cylinder 1 to the outer periphery of the cylinder 11 is a spiral partition-wall 17, upon the surfaces of which are painted or otherwise formed suitable scenic effects or advertising matter, as may be desired As shown in Fig. 3, the rails 16, which form the track, may be provided with any number of raised portions 18 along their length in order to give the usual rolling efiect to the car 19 during the travel of the cylindrical body 1.

Located on the outside of the cylindrical body 1 is an inclined track 20, which connects with the track at the beginning of the first spiral inside the cylinder, as shown in dot-ted lines, Fig. 3, upon which the cars 19 are first placed before they enter said cylindrical body and pass into the latter in a backward position until they are located entirely within said cylindrical body, after which the cars will apparently move in the opposite direction as the cylindrical body is moved in the direction as shown by the arrow in said Fig. 3.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that after the cars enter the receiving end of the cylindrical body they are conveyed slowly in a lateral direction to the delivery end of the said cylindrical body, where they are delivered to an inclined track (not shown) and carried again to the receiving end of the said body.

A revolving cylindrical body constructed as described may be provided with any suitable advertising matter upon the outer periphery of the same, or scenic eifects, as may be desired, and consequently it is evident that an unlimited amount of amusement is obtained and that, further, the advertising matter that may be contained thereon will be of considerable value.

Should it be desired at any time to remove the passengers from the cylindrical body, the spiral partition-wall 17 is provided with doors 21, which are on a line with one another, which are capable of being opened, whereby a free passage may be obtained throughout the entire body.

In Figs. 5 and 6 I have shown a modification of my invention, in which is shown a cylindrical body 22, which is constructed in the form of a wheel, the central hub portion 23 of which is fixed to a transverse shaft 24, the opposite ends of which are mounted in bearings 25, forming the upper ends of the supports 26, the latter being located on the opposite sides of the cylindrical body 22, whereby the latter is free to be revolved between the said supports, the latter being anchored or otherwise secured to the ground or other support. Secured to the inner periphery of the cylindrical body 22 are rails 27, which form two circular concentric tracks, upon which are placed cars 28, which normally assume the position as shown in the drawings when the said cylindrical body is revolved, whereby the same effect is produced as in the preceding description, with the exception that the cars are not conveyed along the length of the body, but assume the same relative position. The opposite sides of the cylindrical body are each provided with doors 29, which are adapted to be opened for admission of the passengers to the cars located within the cylindrical body, the said doors being preferably closed while the said cylindrical body is being revolved. In order to revolve a body of this construction, I preferably employ an endless belt 30, which passes over the outer periphery of the same and over a drive pulley or wheel 31, to the shaft 32 of which is applied any suitable motive power, an idle pulley 33 being employed in connection with said belt for causing the latter to remain in its operative position in respect to the revolving body.

I do not limit myself to the precise con-' struction and arrangement of the parts as herein shown and described, as the same may be varied in some respects without departing from the nature of my invention, the principal object being to provide a revolving body of suitable construction having tracks or guideways located within the same upon which cars are adapted to travel, whereby considerable travel is apparently given to the passengers in a comparatively-small amount of space.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim is 1. In combination with a suitable revolving body, of rails secured to the inner periphery of the same formingatrack of spiral construction,throughout the entire length of said body, the ends of said tracks terminating adjacent to the ends of said body, and cars adapted to be placed upon said track, as and for the pun pose described.

2. In combination with a cylindrical revolv ing body, of rails secured to the inner periphery of the same forming a track of spiral construction throughout the entire length of said body, the ends of said tracks terminating at the end of said body, cars adapted to be placed upon said tracks, and means for guiding said cars to the tracks located within the body, as and for the purpose described.

3. In combination with a cylindrical rotatin g body, of rails or guideways secured to the inner periphery of the same forming a track of spiral construction throughout the entire length of the said cylindrical body, and a spiral partition located between said tracks, and running the full length of the said body, as and for the purpose described.

4. In combination with a rotating body, of rails secured to the inner periphery of the same forming tracks of spiral construction, upon which cars are adapted to travel, and a spiral partition located between said tracks, and separating the latter, as and for the purpose described.

5. A pleasure-railway, comprising an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder centrally located within the same, rails secured to the inner periphery of said outer cylinder, and forming a track upon which cars are adapted to travel, and a partition located between the outer periphery of the inner cylinder, and the inner periphery of the outer cylinder, as and for the purpose described.

6. A pleasure-railway, comprising an outer cylinder, an inner cylinder located within the same, rails secured to the inner periphery of the outer cylinder, and forming tracks of spiral construction throughout the length of the said cylinders, a partition secured between the outer periphery of the inner cylinder, and the inner periphery of the outer cylinder forming a spiral partition throughout the entire 1 length of the said cylinders, and a bridge passing entirely through the inner cylinder, and projecting asuitable distance beyond the ends of the same, rollers carried by said bridge, and in contact with the inner cylinder, and means for supporting the ends of the bridge, as and for the purpose described.

7. A pleasure-railway, comprising an outer cylinder, rails secured to the inner periphery of the same, forming tracks upon which cars are adapted to travel, the said tracks being spirally arranged along the entire length of the cylinder, a partition-wall located between said tracks, and also spirally arranged, and running the full length of the cylinder, and doors covering suitable openings formed in said partition, and on a line with one another, as and for the purpose described.

8. A pleasure-railway, comprising a revolving body, rails secured to the inner periphery of the same forming continuous tracks or guideways, cars adapted to be placed upon said tracks, and a partition located between said tracks, as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN. ANDERSON.

\Vitnesses:

ALFRED A. MATHEY, G. F. KELLER. 

